May 5 is World Hand Hygiene Day: Fight Antibiotic Resistance – It’s In Your Hands

By Mountain-Pacific

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared antibiotic resistance to be one of the greatest public health threats today. According to the World Health Organization, up to 32 percent of patients receiving surgical care get a post-operative infection, of which up to 51 percent are resistant to treatment with antibiotics!

Good hand hygiene is the first step to fighting antibiotic resistance. Take action to protect yourself and your loved ones by asking your health care providers if they have washed their hands before they touch you. The CDC found, on average, health care providers clean their hands less than half of the time they should. By speaking up, you can help stop the spread of infection.

Remember, your hands can spread germs too. Make sure you and your visitors clean your hands during a stay at any health care facility. Washing your hands correctly, or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer, can help keep you safe. In fact, the CDC found that alcohol-based hand sanitizers kill germs quickly and do not cause antibiotic resistance. Whether you are a patient or a caregiver, find more about the importance of clean hands by visiting www.cdc.gov/handhygiene. Learn more about asking for safe care by asking for clean hands with this infographic.

If you are a health care provider, the World Health Organization directly addresses health care providers and how good hand hygiene can decrease antibiotic resistance. Visit www.who.int/gpsc/5may/en/ to find the four calls to action you can implement on May 5. You will also find Clean Hands posters you can place around your facility at the CDC’s website.